Zach Harrison selected No. 75 overall by Atlanta Falcons in third round of NFL Draft
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is yet again putting a defensive end into the NFL: Zach Harrison is off the board in the third round.
Harrison was selected No. 75 overall Friday night by the Atlanta Falcons, a solid landing spot for the former Buckeyes star edge rusher.
Harrison is the fourth Ohio State player to be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, joining three first-round picks from Thursday night and no second-round picks.
Former Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud was taken No. 2 overall by the Houston Texans, while left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. was selected No. 6 overall by the Arizona Cardinals and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba went No. 20 overall to the Seattle Seahawks.
Harrison, a central Ohio native, signed with Ohio State as a five-star prospect and the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2019 class.
Harrison didn’t have the career many expected him to have as a five-star Ohio State defensive end, but he did tally 24 tackles for loss and 11 sacks over the course of his four-year Buckeyes career. He also had four forced fumbles and an interception in his impressive time with Ohio State.
Zach Harrison was always going to test well in the pre-draft process, most notably with his measurements. Harrison recorded an arm measurement of 36 1/4 inches, the longest of any defensive lineman at the NFL Combine since 2014. At 6-foot-5 1/2 and 274 pounds, he also logged a 10-foot-3 broad jump at Ohio State’s Pro Day to go along with his impressive speed off the edge on his game tape.
The four-year Ohio State defensive end was also a captain for the Buckeyes last season, showing that he can lead a locker room, which can give NFL teams a good idea of the kind of player they’re getting.
“I’d probably say my biggest accomplishment there was just being voted captain,” Harrison told reporters at the NFL Combine in early March. “That’s something I’m going to have on my resume for the rest of my life. That was voted on by my peers. I’m really honored to be able to do that. And just all my time on Ohio State, I loved every second of it, the whole journey.”
No, Zach Harrison didn’t have the most sacks during his time at Ohio State. But he knows what he can put on the field in the NFL, beginning next season as a rookie.
“Football players know I’m a ballplayer and I make plays,” Zach Harrison said at the combine. “I’m not sure if the casual fan knows that as much because maybe I don’t have Chase Young numbers, but I definitely have impact on the games and all I really care about my teammates and winning games.”
The Atlanta Falcons saw that impact that Zach Harrison can bring to the NFL. That’s why they made him a third-round selection, taking him No. 75 overall in the NFL Draft.
Ohio State players still available
Ohio State still has plenty of talented players on the board, ready to be selected in the NFL Draft this weekend. Those players include center Luke Wypler, cornerback Cameron Brown, safety Ronnie Hickman, safety Tanner McCalister, defensive tackles Jerron Cage and Taron Vincent and long snapper Bradley Robinson.
Stick with Lettermen Row for full coverage of the NFL Draft as former Buckeyes stars find their NFL homes.
